Footwear Carrying System

ABSTRACT

A footwear carrying system may include first and second separate carriers, each having a first attachment point near a first end of the carrier, a second attachment point near a second end of the carrier opposite the first end, and a third attachment point along a side of the carrier. A first strap may be adapted to connect the first and second attachment points of the first carrier, and a second strap may be adapted to connect the first and second attachment points of the second carrier. The third attachment points of the first and second carriers may be adapted to connect the first and second carriers together. The carriers may be suspended from one or more shoulders of a wearer, or attached to another carrier using the straps or a connection between the first and second carriers.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/794,274 filed Oct. 26, 2107 which claims priority from U.S.Provisional Patent Application No. 62/414,177 filed Oct. 28, 2016 titledSWings which is incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

Shoes are special. Shoes are necessities of course. But more than anyother article of clothing, shoes have the ability to evoke strongfeelings in people who own, wear and desire shoes. Shoe obsessions arewell known in society today, and sneaker culture has many people buying,selling, trading and coveting shoes.

People have different shoes for different activities like sports, dance,socializing, etc. People want to protect the integrity of their shoeswhen they are being carried to these activities. But people also want toshow off their shoes. Shoes may be seen as an expression of a person'sindividuality, but this expression ends when shoes are carried around intote bags, backpacks, gym bags, and even plastic shopping bags.

Shoes don't pack well with other clothing and personal items becausethey are rigid and bulky. Shoes are also a problem to pack because theyare exposed to dust, dirt, mud, chewing gum, and other waste products.

Many solutions have been devised for carrying shoes around. There arededicated shoe bags and cases, but these need to be carried in additionto purses, backpacks and other bags, so they are awkward and burdensometo use. Dedicated compartments have been designed into backpacks andother bags, but these reduce the utility of the carriers when not usedfor shoes, and they have other problems as well. For example, the shoecompartments cannot be laundered separately if waste matter from shoescontaminates the compartments.

A saddle bag style shoe carrier with individual shoe bags is disclosedin U.S. Pat. No. 6,869,219 and sold in a commercial embodiment, but ithas limited usefulness because it is only designed to be wrapped arounda backpack. This design also tends to squeeze the backpack, therebymaking it difficult to load the backpack with additional items orcausing the shoe bags to slip if items are removed from the backpack.

Thus, there is a need for something that solves the practical problemsof carrying shoes while also letting people show off their shoes andexpress themselves. There is a need for a product that is worthy of thefootwear it carries.

SUMMARY

The inventive principles of this patent disclosure are directed toversatile footwear carrying systems having individual carriers withthree or more attachment points that enable the carriers to be attachedto backpacks, gym bags, purses, etc. They may also be worn in the mannerof a backpack or shoulder bag. The attachment points may be used withvarious arrangements of straps, harnesses, etc., to enable a user toconfigure the system in ways that express their personal style, whilestill preserving the integrity of their shoes or other footwear.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a first embodiment of a footwear carrying systemaccording to the inventive principles of this patent disclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates another embodiment of a footwear carrying systemhaving additional attachment points according to the inventiveprinciples of this patent disclosure.

FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment of a footwear carrying systemhaving additional attachment points according to the inventiveprinciples of this patent disclosure.

FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of a footwear carrying systemshowing an accessory attached according to the inventive principles ofthis patent disclosure.

FIG. 5 illustrates another embodiment of a footwear carrying systemshowing some implementation details according to the inventiveprinciples of this patent disclosure.

FIG. 6 is another view of the embodiment of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 illustrates an embodiment of a harness according to the inventiveprinciples of this patent disclosure.

FIG. 8 is another view of the embodiment of FIG. 5 and illustrates someadditional implementation details as well as an embodiment of a methodfor attaching the system to a backpack according to the inventiveprinciples of this patent disclosure.

FIG. 9 illustrates another embodiment of a method for attaching afootwear carrying system to a backpack according to the inventiveprinciples of this patent disclosure.

FIG. 10 illustrates an embodiment of a method for wearing a footwearcarrying system in the manner of a backpack according to the inventiveprinciples of this patent disclosure.

FIG. 11 illustrates an embodiment of a method for suspending a footwearcarrying system from a bicycle bag according to the inventive principlesof this patent disclosure.

FIG. 12 illustrates another embodiment of a method for suspending afootwear carrying system from a bicycle bag according to the inventiveprinciples of this patent disclosure.

FIG. 13 illustrates some components of an example embodiment of afootwear carrier according to the inventive principles of this patentdisclosure.

FIG. 14 illustrates another view of some components of an exampleembodiment of a footwear carrier according to the inventive principlesof this patent disclosure.

FIG. 15 illustrates another view of some components of an exampleembodiment of a footwear carrier according to the inventive principlesof this patent disclosure.

To the extent that embodiments shown in different figures include thesame or similar components, the same reference numbers may be used.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a first embodiment of a footwear carrying systemhaving separate footwear carriers according to the inventive principlesof this patent disclosure. The embodiment of FIG. 1 is shown in aschematic form using simplified and/or symbolic elements to disclose thegeneral inventive principles. More detailed embodiments will bedescribed below. The system of FIG. 1 includes first and second footwearcarriers 102 and 104, each of which has an elongated shape and isintended to hold a shoe or other item of footwear.

The first carrier 102 has a first attachment point 106 near the top end108 of the carrier, a second attachment point 110 near the bottom end112 of the carrier, and a third attachment point 114 along a side 116 ofthe carrier.

The second carrier 104 has a first attachment point 118 near the top end120 of the carrier, a second attachment point 122 near the bottom end124 of the carrier, and a third attachment point 126 along a side 128 ofthe carrier.

A first shoulder strap 130 may be connected between the first and secondattachment points 106,110 of the first carrier 102, and a secondshoulder strap 132 may be connected between the first and secondattachment points 118,122 of the second carrier 104.

The third attachment points 114,126 of the first and second carriers102,104 are adapted to connect the first and second carriers together asshown by dashed line 134.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, the straps 130,132, are generally oriented inthe direction of the long axis X of each of the carriers 102,104. Insome modes of use, the straps 130,132 may be used to suspend thecarriers 102,104 from a user's shoulders or from another carryingarticle such as a backpack or bicycle bag, while the connection 134merely connects the carriers 102,104 together. In this mode, thecarriers are oriented in a generally vertical direction, i.e., the longaxis X of each of the carriers 102,104 is roughly vertical as will bedescribed in more detail below.

In other modes of use, the connection 134 may be used to suspend thecarriers 102,104 from another carrying article such as a purse, a dufflebag, or bicycle rack trunk, while the straps 130,132 may be unused,removed, or used to provide supplemental attachment points. In thismode, the carriers are oriented in a generally horizontal direction,i.e., the long axis X of each of the carriers 102,104 is roughlyhorizontal as will be described in more detail below.

The carriers 102,104 are shown as boxes in FIG. 1 for simplicity, butthey may be implemented in many other forms including cylinders, prisms,pyramids or other regular or irregular geometric shapes. In practicalimplementations, the carriers may be realized in the general shape of ashoe, boot, sandal or other type of footwear as described in more detailbelow. The carriers 102,104 may be fabricated from any suitable rigid,semi-rigid or flexible materials such as canvas, nylon, polyester,leather, etc., that are preferably resistant to, impervious to, and/orimpenetrable by, water, UV light, etc.

The straps 130,132 and attachment points 106,110,118,122 may beimplemented in a wide variety of ways. In simple implementations, thestraps 130,132 may be made from webbing, cord or any other suitablematerial that is glued, sewn, riveted or otherwise attached directly tospots on the carriers 102,104 which serve as the attachment points. Thestraps 130,132 may include optional buckles, clips, or other devicesthat enable each strap to be adjusted and/or split into two parts toenable the strap to be passed through the handle of a backpack or otherarticle and then reconnected as described in more detail below.

In more sophisticated implementations, the straps 130,132 and attachmentpoints 106,110,118,122 may be realized with various combinations ofdevices and materials that provide more versatility. For example, theattachment points 106,110,118,122 may be implemented with loop devicessuch as sewn fabric loops and/or D-rings, and the straps 130,132 may bemade from nylon webbing with swivel snaps at one or both ends to enablethe straps to be removed and reconnected to the attachment points. Otherhardware and arrangements such as slides, buckles, hook- and loopfasteners, adjusters, clips, strap loops, strap hooks, etc., may be usedto provide adjustability in the length and positioning of the straps, aswell as to enable the straps to be easily attached to and removed fromthe carriers themselves and/or other carrying articles.

The connection 134 between the two carriers 102,104 may also beimplemented in a wide variety of ways. In a simple implementation, theconnection 134 may be made permanently from a short piece of webbing orcord that is sewn directly to spots on the carriers 102,104 which serveas the attachment points 114,126. In an even simpler form, theconnection 134 may be formed permanently by directly sewing the twocarriers 102,104 together along portions of the sides 116,128 of thecarriers that serve as the attachment points 114,126, wherein theportions are short enough to allow the carriers to retain theirindividual characteristic. In this form, the sides 116,128 of thecarriers may be made from fabric that is optionally cut to formprotrusions at the attachment points 114,126. In another implementation,the attachment points 114,126 may be fabricated from loops of webbingsewn to the carriers 102,104, and the connection 134 maybe realized witha strap hook that is permanently sewn into the loop on one carrier andremovably attachable to the loop on the other carrier using the open armof the strap hook. In yet another implementation, the strap hook may bereplaced with, for example, a side release buckle, also known as aparachute clip.

The connection 134 between the two carriers 102,104 may be located atany suitable location along the sides 116,128 of the carriers, forexample, near the midway point between the ends, or somewhat highertoward the top ends of the carriers. Some embodiments may include one ormore additional connections between the carriers that are spaced apartat suitable locations along the sides 116,128 of the carriers. Theadditional connections may be especially useful for embodiments that arelikely to be used frequently in horizontal modes.

Each of the carriers 102,104 includes one or more openings (not shown inFIG. 1) for inserting and removing footwear. In some implementations,the opening may be located at the top end of each carrier and covered orclosed with a flap, a lid, or other form of cover or closure and securedwith snaps, buttons, zippers, hook-and-loop tape, or any other suitablefastener. The opening may alternatively, or in addition, be covered by asleeve with a drawstring closure mechanism. In other implementations,the opening may be located along any side of the carrier and coveredand/or closed with any suitable arrangement of doors, flaps, covers,fasteners, etc.

The embodiment of FIG. 1 may further include numerous other featuressuch as: pockets to store personal items like electronic devices or tostore straps, harnesses or other components of the footwear carryingsystem when they are not in use; passageways and additional openings toaccommodate wiring for electronic devices; additional openings fordrainage and ventilation; cleat protectors and other devices to protectthe carriers 102,104 from spikes, cleats and other sharp objects;cross-straps to form a more complex harness from the two straps 130,132;and additional attachment points for various accessories such as thosedescribed next.

The attachment points illustrated in FIG. 1 are shown on specificsidewalls of the carriers for purposes of general illustration, but insome implementations of this or any other embodiment, they may belocated on different sidewalls and/or at the seams or junctions betweensidewalls, and some implementations may not have four sidewalls.

FIG. 2 illustrates another embodiment of a footwear carrying systemhaving additional attachment points to accommodate an accessory carrieraccording to the inventive principles of this patent disclosure. Theembodiment of FIG. 2 is also shown in a schematic form using simplifiedand/or symbolic elements to disclose the general inventive principles.More detailed embodiments will be described below.

In the system of FIG. 2, the first carrier 102 has a fourth attachmentpoint 136 near the bottom end 112 of the carrier, and the second carrier104 has a fourth attachment point 138 near the bottom end 124 of thecarrier. The fourth attachment points 136,138 provide a place forattaching an accessory carrier 140 which may be suspended between thecarriers 102,104. The accessory carrier 140 includes a first attachmentdevice 142 adapted to connect to the fourth attachment point 136 of thefirst carrier 102 and a second attachment device 144 adapted to connectto the fourth attachment point 138 of the second carrier 104.

The accessory carrier 140 may have various useful configurations such asa wrap, sleeve, or pouch for holding a water bottle, a small duffle bagfor holding additional personal items such as socks or other articles ofclothing, a ball carrier, etc. The fourth attachment points 136,138 andattachment devices 142,144 may be implemented in a wide variety of ways.In simple implementations, the attachment devices 142,144 may be madefrom webbing or cord that is sewn directly and permanently to spots onthe carriers 102,104 which serve as the attachment points 136,138. Inother implementations, the attachment points 136,138 and attachmentdevices 142,144 may be realized with various combinations of devices andmaterials that provide more versatility. For example, the attachmentpoints 136,138 may be implemented with loop devices such as sewn fabricloops and/or D-rings, and the attachment devices 142,144 may beimplemented as swivel snaps that are attached to the accessory carrier140 with webbing. The swivel snaps enable the accessory carrier 140 tobe removed from and reattached to the carriers 102,104 as needed.

As with the embodiment of FIG. 1, the attachment points illustrated inFIG. 2 are shown on specific sidewalls of the carriers for purposes ofgeneral illustration, but in some implementations, they may be locatedon different sidewalls and/or at the seams or junctions betweensidewalls, and some implementations may not have four sidewalls. Inalternative embodiments, the attachment points 136,138 may be locatednear the top ends 108,120 of the carriers 102,104, or anywhere along thelengths of the carriers.

FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment of a footwear carrying systemhaving additional attachment points to accommodate another accessorycarrier according to the inventive principles of this patent disclosure.The embodiment of FIG. 3 is also shown in a schematic form usingsimplified and/or symbolic elements to disclose the general inventiveprinciples. More detailed embodiments will be described below. To theextent that the system of FIG. 3 includes the same components as thesystems of FIGS. 1 and 2, the same reference numbers are used.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, the system is shown from the perspective of a viewerlooking at the back, that is, the side that rests against the wearer'sback when the system is used in a backpack mode. In FIG. 3, the systemis shown from the perspective of a viewer looking at the front, that is,the side that faces away from the wearer when the system is used in abackpack mode.

In the system of FIG. 3, the first carrier 102 has a fifth attachmentpoint 146 near the top end 108 of the carrier, and the second carrier104 has a fifth attachment point 148 near the top end 120 of thecarrier. The fifth attachment points 146,148 provide places forattaching another accessory carrier 150 which may be suspended betweenthe carriers 102,104. The accessory carrier 150 includes a firstattachment device 152 adapted to connect to the fifth attachment point146 of the first carrier 102, a second attachment device 154 adapted toconnect to the fifth attachment point 148 of the second carrier 104, athird attachment device 156 adapted to connect to the fourth attachmentpoint 136 of the first carrier 102, and a fourth attachment device 158adapted to connect to the fourth attachment point 138 of the secondcarrier 104.

The accessory carrier 150 may have various useful configurations such asa mesh panel or pouch to hold a basketball, soccer ball, football, etc.Other possible configurations include a wrap, sleeve, or pouch forholding a water bottle, a small duffle bag for holding additionalpersonal items such as socks or other articles of clothing, etc.

The fifth attachment points 146,148 and the attachment devices152,154,156,158 may be implemented in a wide variety of ways. In simpleimplementations, the attachment devices 152,154,156,158 may be made fromwebbing or cord that is sewn directly and permanently to spots on thecarriers 102,104 which serve as the attachment points 146,148,136,138.In other implementations, the attachment points and attachment devicesmay be realized with various combinations of devices and materials thatprovide more versatility. For example, the attachment points146,148,136,138 may be implemented with loop devices such as sewn fabricloops and/or D-rings, and the attachment devices 152,154,156,158 may beimplemented as snaps that are sewn directly to the accessory carrier 150or attached with webbing. The snaps enable the accessory carrier 150 tobe removed from and reattached to the carriers 102,104 as needed.

In some implementations, the two lower attachment points 136,138 may beomitted, and the lower attachment devices 156,158 on accessory carrier150 may alternatively be attached to the attachment points 110,122 (notvisible in FIG. 3) that are used for the lower ends of the straps130,132. In some other implementations, the two lower attachment devices156,158 on accessory carrier 150 may be omitted, in which case, it maybe more suitable for the accessory carrier 150 to be realized as a pouchor bag rather than a panel.

As with the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2, the attachment pointsillustrated in FIG. 3 are shown on specific sidewalls of the carriersfor purposes of general illustration, but in some implementations ofthis and other embodiments, they may be located on different sidewallsand/or at the seams or junctions between sidewalls, and someimplementations may not have four sidewalls. In alternative embodiments,the attachment points 146,148 may be located near the bottom ends124,112 of the carriers 102,104, or anywhere along the lengths of thecarriers.

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of a footwear carrying system having amesh panel 159 to hold a piece of athletic gear 161 such as abasketball, soccer ball, football, etc., according to the inventiveprinciples of this patent disclosure. The carriers 102,104 in theembodiment of FIG. 4 are similar to those of FIG. 3, but the fourthattachment points 136,138 have been moved to the front sidewalls of thecarriers 102,104. The mesh panel and attachment points may beimplemented with any suitable combination of materials. For example, theattachment points may be realized with D-rings, and the mesh panel maybe attached with swivel snap hooks.

FIG. 5 illustrates another embodiment of a footwear carrying systemshowing how some of the principles illustrated in FIGS. 1-4 may beimplemented in more detail according to the inventive principles of thispatent disclosure. FIG. 5 is a view looking at the back of the system,that is, the side that rests against the wearer's back when the systemis used in a backpack mode.

The system of FIG. 5 includes two carriers 160,162 each of which has thegeneral shape of a shoe 164,166 which is illustrated with broken linesand shown in the position the shoe may be in when inserted in thecarrier. In this example, the shoes are shown as high-top sneakers withtheir soles facing outward away from each other and the long axis of thesoles oriented along the long axis of the carrier. The toes of the shoespoint downward, and thus, the carriers are wider at the top end 168,170and taper to a smaller end 172,174 at the bottom. Although this shapeconforms to the general shape of high-top sneakers, carriers that areformed in this shape may accommodate footwear having many other shapes.Alternatively, the carriers may be modified to conform to the size andshape of any type of footwear arranged in various orientations.

Each carrier 160,162 is fabricated essentially as a bag from panels ofsewn fabric such as canvas, Cordura Nylon, ballistic nylon, rip-stopnylon, polyester pack cloth, leather, etc., using sewing techniques likethose used to make purses, backpacks, duffel bags, etc.

Each carrier 160,162 includes a sewn fabric loop attachment point176,178 at or near the top end 168,170 and a loop of webbing and/orD-ring attachment point 180,182 at or near the bottom end 172,174 toconnect shoulder straps 184,186 to the carriers.

The top end of strap 184 is removably attached to fabric loop 176 oncarrier 160 using a loop 188 that is formed by passing the strap 184through one end of a side-release buckle 190 and looping the end of thestrap back around to the other end of the buckle 190. The strap 184 maybe sewn at each location where it passes through the buckle, or it maybe allowed to slide through either or both ends of the buckle foradditional adjustability.

The bottom end of strap 184 is removably attached to attachment point180 using a swivel snap 192 that is held in a loop 194 formed by passingthe strap 184 through an adjustable slide 196 and then looping the endof the strap 184 back to the slide 196 where it is sewn to the centerbar of the slide.

The other strap 186 constructed in the same manner as strap 184 withupper loop 198, lower loop 200, side release buckle 202, adjustableslide 204 and swivel snap 206. As with the buckles 190,202, the slides196,204 maybe fastened to the straps 184,198 in various other ways. Theconnection between the carriers 160,162 is realized with a strap hook208 (also known as an a-hook because it resembles a lower case letter“a”) that is permanently attached to one carrier 160 with a sewn strapor loop of webbing 210 and may be removably attached to the othercarrier 162 by hooking the free arm of the strap hook 208 into anotherstrap or loop of webbing 212 that is sewn to the other carrier. Thisflexible connection arrangement allows the two carriers 160,162 to move,e.g., rotate or pivot, independently of each other so they can formaround and adapt to the contour of anything they are attached to.

As with the straps 130,132 in FIG. 1, the straps or loops 210,212 inFIG. 5 may be made from webbing, cord or any other suitable materialthat is glued, sewn, riveted or otherwise attached directly to spots onthe carriers 160,162, or they may be removable. They may includeoptional buckles, clips, slides, or other devices that enable theconnection to be adjusted and/or split into two parts to enable theconnection to pass through the handle of a purse, duffle bag, backpack,bicycle rack bag or other article and then reconnected as described inmore detail below.

The embodiment of FIG. 5 also includes a sternum strap 214 formed fromtwo pieces of webbing 216,218 connected in the middle by a side-releasebuckle 220 and attached to the shoulder straps 184,186 with quick-attachsternum slides 222,224. Additional sternum straps may be included toprovide additional security, comfort, adjustability, etc. A waist strapmay also be included by positioning another sternum strap toward thelower ends of the shoulder straps 184,186. Alternatively, a waist strapmay be included by attaching it with snap hooks to the lower attachmentpoints 180,182, or by sewing it directly to the carriers, etc.

The embodiment of FIG. 5 also includes an accessory carrier 226 which inthis example is a wrap 228 to hold a bottle 230. The accessory carrier226 includes attachment devices 232, 234 which in this example are shownas hook-and-loop straps that attach to D-rings 236,238 that serve asaccessory attachment points on the carriers 160,162. The wrap in thisexample uses hook-and-loop fasteners to adjust the diameter of the wrapto securely hold the bottle 230. The wrap may include variousaccessories such as a zippered pocket and preferably includes a non-slipsurface on the inside to prevent the bottle from sliding out of thewrap.

FIG. 6 is another view of the embodiment of FIG. 5 (without the shoulderand sternum straps) taken from a perspective that shows more of theshape of the bottom ends 172,174 of the carriers 160,162, as well asgrommets 240,242 that provide drainage and ventilation to the carriers.

FIG. 7 is another view of the harness formed by shoulder straps 184,186and sternum strap 214 from FIG. 5 showing in more detail how the loopsare formed at the top ends of the straps. In this example, the hook(male) end 190B of a side release buckle is sewn to the end of strap 184and the catch (female) end 190A is sewn to the strap 184 at somedistance down from the end so that the strap may be looped back and thehook end 190B inserted into the catch end 190A, thereby forming a loopsuch as loop 198 shown in the other strap 186 where side release buckle202 is shown in the engaged position. In this example, neither end190A,190B of the buckle is adjustable. With the ends 190A,190B of thebuckle disconnected as shown in FIG. 7, the top of strap 184 has ageneral Y-shape with the ends of the buckle forming the tops of the Y.

Alternatively, either end 190A or 190B may be made adjustable (singleadjust), or both ends may be adjustable (double adjust) to provideadditional adjustability in the strap or resulting loop. For example,the catch end 190A may be sewn to the strap 184 at a fixed location, andthe hook end 190B may be left free to slide along the end portion of thestrap 184. The additional adjustability may be especially useful whenusing the footwear carrying system in an accessory mode, that is,attaching the system to another carrier such as a backpack as shown inFIGS. 8 and 9 below or to a bicycle saddle bag as shown in FIG. 11below. It may also be useful when using the footwear carrying system ina backpack mode as shown in FIG. 10 below to provide extra adjustabilityto the shoulder straps, for example, if the slides 196,204 do notprovide enough adjustability.

FIG. 8 is another view of the embodiment of FIG. 5 attached to abackpack according to some inventive principles of this patentdisclosure. The view of FIG. 8 is shown looking at the front of thesystem, that is, the side that faces away from the wearer when thesystem is used in a backpack mode.

As seen in FIG. 8, each of the footwear carriers 160,162 has a cover244,246 that can be opened to expose the open end at the top of thecarrier where a shoe can be inserted. In this embodiment, the covers244,246 are hinged to the back panels of the carriers 160,162, but manyother types of covers and/or closures may be utilized. The cover of eachcarrier may be secured in the closed position with a strap hook 248,250that is permanently attached to the cover 244,246 with a sewn loop ofwebbing 252,254 and can be hooked onto another loop of webbing 256,258that is sewn to the front panel of the carrier. Additional loops260,262,264,266 may be sewn to the front panels at different locationsto allow the covers to be tightened or loosened to accommodate differentsize footwear. Alternatively, any other number and/or types of fastenersmay be used such as snaps, zippers, etc.

The embodiment of FIG. 8 also includes zippers 268,270 that allow accessto pockets that extend essentially over the entire front panels of thecarriers 160,162. In this example, the pocket on carrier 160 includes amesh window 272 to provide acoustic transparency for an audio devicesuch as a wireless Bluetooth speaker that may be placed in the pocket.

As shown in FIG. 8, the footwear carrying system is attached to abackpack 274 by connecting the loops 188,198 of the shoulder straps tothe top handle 276 of the backpack. This is accomplished by releasingthe buckles 190,202, threading the ends of the straps 184,186 throughthe handle 276, then reconnecting the buckles 190,202. This allows thecarriers 160,162 to be suspended securely from the backpack while theflexible connection 208,210,212 allows the carriers to pivot, twist andotherwise move independently to accommodate the contour and movement ofthe backpack, the wearer, etc.

FIG. 9 is side view of the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 8 attached to abackpack according to some inventive principles of this patentdisclosure. In the view of FIG. 9, the footwear carrying system isattached to the backpack 274 in a slightly different way with the loopat the end of the strap 186 pulled up tight to the handle 276 of thebackpack using strap adjustability in the buckle 202. The strap 186 ofcarrier 162 is then passed through the shoulder strap 278 of thebackpack 274 to keep it out of the way. The shoulder strap 278 of thebackpack is adjusted with slide 280. The other side of the backpack andcarrier 160 are arranged in a similar manner.

FIG. 10 illustrates how the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 8 may be worn by aperson according to some inventive principles of this patent disclosure.The carriers 160,162 are worn in the manner of a backpack with thecarriers 160,162 suspended from the wearer's shoulders using straps184,186. The position of the carriers on the wearer's body may beadjusted using slides 196,204,222,224 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7 and anyadjustability that may be included in the buckles 190,202. As withaccessory mode, when the footwear carrying system is used in backpackmode as shown in FIG. 10, the flexible connection 208,210,212 allows thecarriers to pivot, twist and otherwise move independently to accommodatethe contour and movement of the wearer.

FIG. 11 illustrates how an embodiment of a footwear carrying system maybe attached to a bicycle rack bag according to some inventive principlesof this patent disclosure. The embodiment of FIG. 11 is similar to thatof FIGS. 5 and 8 and is suspended vertically from the handle 284 of arack bag 286 on bicycle 282. The carriers 160,162 are attached to thehandle 284 by strap loops 188,198.

FIG. 12 illustrates another manner in which an embodiment of a footwearcarrying system may be attached to a bicycle rack bag according to someinventive principles of this patent disclosure. In this embodiment, thecarriers 160,162 are suspended from the handle 290 of a bicycle racktrunk bag 292. The carriers are attached to the handle 290 using theflexible connection 208,210,212 which allows the carriers to pivot,twist and otherwise move independently to accommodate the contour andmovement of the trunk bag 292.

The method illustrated in FIG. 12 may also be used to suspend thefootwear carriers from other types of carriers such as purses, dufflebags, shoulder bags, etc. The user positions each of the footwearcarriers 160,162 on opposite sides of the other carrier and uses thehook 208 to connect the straps 210,212 across the top of the othercarrier, preferably through a handle on the other carrier. In the caseof a carrier have a shoulder strap such as a courier bag, shoulder bag,or duffle bag with a shoulder strap, the shoulder strap essentiallyfunctions as the handle, and the connection 208,210,212 simply laysacross the top of the other carrier. Embodiments having adjustability inthe connection 208,210,212 may provide additional versatility toaccommodate carriers having different widths.

FIG. 13 is a partially exploded view illustrating some components of anexample embodiment of a footwear carrier according to some inventiveprinciples of this patent disclosure. The embodiment of FIG. 13 may beused as one of the carriers 102,104,160,162 in any of the embodimentsdescribed above. It is shown using panels of fabric or other materialand does not include seam allowances and other routine fabricationdetails.

The carrier of FIG. 13 includes a back panel 294, a front panel 296, anouter (or sole) panel 298, a lower (or toe) panel 300, an inner panel302, and a diagonal (or lace) panel 304. The top cover 306, which isfolded and sewn to form a rim 308, is preferably formed integral withthe back panel 296 which allows it to pivot like a hinge at theinterface between the two panels.

In a preferred embodiment, the diagonal (lace) panel 304 may be madefrom mesh to provide ventilation and breathability, but any other panelor portion may be made from mesh as well. A flap of fabric or othermaterial may be attached inside the carrier to prevent water fromentering the back through the mesh.

A cinch cuff or skirt 310 may be included at the top of the carrier andunder the cover 306 to provide additional protection from water, UVlight, etc. The cuff may include a hem 312 that encloses a drawstring314 that may be secured in the closed position by a cord stop or toggle316. Many alternative configurations are possible. For example, the hem312 may be replaced by a series of grommets or eyelets, or thedrawstring may be replaced with elastic.

A cleat protector made from a sheet of rigid or semi-rigid plastic maybe sewn in permanently along the outer (sole) panel 298 or it may beremovably attached with hook-and-loop fasteners, loops of webbing orelastic, etc.

A pocket for miscellaneous articles, but especially for a battery, maybe sewn to the back side of front panel 296. If a pocket is alsoincluded on the front side of front panel 296, a passageway may beincluded between the two pockets to allow, for example, a USB or othercord to pass between a battery in the back pocket and a phone or otherdevice in the front pocket.

FIG. 14 illustrates some of the components of FIG. 13 after assembly, aswell as the placement of some additional components according to theinventive principles of this patent disclosure. In FIG. 14, the topcover 306 and rim 308 have been rotated to an open position. The cuff310 is shown extending upward from the rest of the carrier. To rotatethe cover 306 and rim 308 to the closed position, the cuff 310 wouldtypically need to be pushed downward until it is flush with the top ofthe carrier.

A loop of webbing 318 is sewn into the seam between the front panel 296and inner panel 302. The loop 318 may function as a third attachmentpoint and form part of a connection between two footwear carriers, forexample, as loop 212 which connects to strap hook 208 in the embodimentof FIG. 8.

A D-ring 320 is attached to the toe panel 300 with another loop ofwebbing 322 and may function, for example, as a fourth attachment suchas point 138 in in the embodiments of FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, or as point 238for an accessory carrier 228 as shown in the embodiment of FIG. 5.

Another D-ring 324 is attached to the front panel 296 with another loopof webbing 326 and may function, for example, as a fifth attachmentpoint such as point 148 in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

FIG. 15 is a view from the back side of the embodiment of FIG. 14 andshows a D-ring 328 attached to a loop of webbing 330 that is sewn intothe seam between the outer (or sole) panel 298 and the back panel 294.D-ring 328 may serve as a second attachment point such as point 122 inthe embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, or the point 182 shown in theembodiment of FIG. 5.

A loop of sewn fabric 332 is attached at the top of the back panel 294and may serve as a first attachment point such as point 118 shown in theembodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, or the point 178 shown in any of theembodiments of FIG. 5, 6, 8, 10 or 11.

Although some example details have been described above, the inventiveprinciples may be embodied in many other ways. For example, the footwearcarriers need not have an elongated shape, and the walls or panels ofthe carriers may be implemented in various other numbers, shapes, sizes,etc. Likewise, the connection between the carriers has been shown insome specific locations along the sides of the carrier such as along theinner sidewall, or at the seam between a sidewall and a front panel, itmay be arranged in various other positions, and thus, a side may referto a front, back, inner or outer sidewall, etc. Similarly, some of theattachment points are described as being near an end of a carrier, andthis may refer to being near enough to an end to be stable whensuspended from a harness, or when suspending an accessory carrier, etc.Additionally, the footwear carriers may be made from transparentmaterials such as clear vinyl to enable the user to display their shoeswhile carrying them.

Since the inventive principles of this patent disclosure can be modifiedin arrangement and detail without departing from the inventive concepts,such changes and modifications are considered to fall within the scopeof the following claims.

1. A footwear carrying system comprising: a first carrier having a firstattachment point near a first end of the carrier, a second attachmentpoint near a second end of the carrier opposite the first end, a thirdattachment point along a first side of the carrier; a second carrier,separate from the first carrier, having a first attachment point near afirst end of the carrier, a second attachment point near a second end ofthe carrier opposite the first end, and a third attachment point along afirst side of the carrier; a first strap adapted to connect the firstand second attachment points of the first carrier; and a second strapadapted to connect the first and second attachment points of the secondcarrier; wherein the third attachment points of the first and secondcarriers are adapted to provide a flexible connection between the firstand second carriers; wherein the flexible connection enables the firstand second carriers to move independently of each other; wherein each ofthe carriers has an opening at the first end for inserting a shoe intothe carrier, and a cover arranged to cover the opening; and wherein thesoles of two shoes inserted into the carriers face outward away fromeach other.
 2. The footwear carrying system of claim 1 wherein: thefirst carrier includes a fourth attachment point near the second end ofthe carrier; and the second carrier includes a fourth attachment pointnear the second end of the carrier.
 3. The footwear carrying system ofclaim 2 further comprising: an accessory carrier having: a firstattachment device adapted to connect to the fourth attachment point ofthe first carrier; and a second attachment device adapted to connect tothe fourth attachment point of the second carrier.
 4. The footwearcarrying system of claim 3 wherein the accessory carrier comprises abottle carrier.
 5. The footwear carrying system of claim 2 wherein: thefirst carrier includes a fifth attachment point near the first end ofthe carrier; and the second carrier includes a fifth attachment pointnear the first end of the carrier.
 6. The footwear carrying system ofclaim 5 further comprising: an accessory carrier having: a firstattachment device adapted to connect to the fifth attachment point ofthe first carrier; a second attachment device adapted to connect to thefifth attachment point of the second carrier; a third attachment deviceadapted to connect to another attachment point of the first carrier; anda fourth attachment device adapted to connect to another attachmentpoint of the second carrier.
 7. The footwear carrying system of claim 6wherein the accessory carrier comprises a mesh panel.
 8. The footwearcarrying system of claim 1 wherein each of the carriers includes: a backpanel; and an outer panel that is substantially narrower than the backpanel.
 9. The footwear carrying system of claim 1 wherein each of thecarriers includes: a front panel; a back panel opposite the front panel;an inner panel; and an outer panel opposite the inner panel; wherein thefront and back panels are substantially wider than the inner and outerpanels.
 10. The footwear carrying system of claim 1 wherein each of thecarriers includes a sleeve and drawstring at the first end arranged toclose the opening.
 11. The footwear carrying system of claim 1 whereinthe first and second attachment points comprise loop devices.
 12. Thefootwear carrying system of claim 1 wherein the third attachment pointsof the first and second carriers are connected by a detachable fastener.13. The footwear carrying system of claim 12 wherein the thirdattachment points of the first and second carriers are connected by anadjustable length strap.
 14. The footwear carrying system of claim 1wherein the first and second straps are adapted to removably attach thefirst attachment points of the first and second carriers to anothercarrying device.
 15. A method comprising: storing a first item offootwear in a first carrier having a first attachment point near a firstend of the carrier, a second attachment point near a second end of thecarrier opposite the first end, and a third attachment point along afirst side of the carrier; storing a second item of footwear in a secondcarrier having a first attachment point near a first end of the carrier,a second attachment point near a second end of the carrier opposite thefirst end, and a third attachment point along a first side of thecarrier, wherein the second carrier is separate from the first carrier;connecting the third attachment points of the first and second carriersby a flexible connection wherein the flexible connection enable thefirst and second carriers to move independently of each other; andsuspending the first and second carriers by one or more straps connectedto one or more of the attachment points on each carrier; wherein each ofthe carriers has an opening at the first end for inserting a shoe intothe carrier, and a cover arranged to cover the opening; and wherein thesoles of two shoes inserted into the carriers face outward away fromeach other.
 16. The method of claim 15 wherein suspending the first andsecond carriers comprises: suspending the first carrier from a firstshoulder of a wearer using a first strap coupled between the first andsecond attachment points of the first carrier; and suspending the firstcarrier from a second shoulder of the wearer using a second strapcoupled between the first and second attachment points of the secondcarrier.
 17. The method of claim 15 wherein suspending the first andsecond carriers comprises: suspending the first carrier from anothercarrier using a first strap coupled to the first attachment point of thefirst carrier; and suspending the second carrier from the other carrierusing a second strap coupled to the first attachment point of the secondcarrier.
 18. The method of claim 17 wherein the first and secondcarriers are suspended from the other carrier by loops in the first andsecond straps.
 19. The method of claim 15 wherein suspending the firstand second carriers comprises: positioning each of the carriers onopposite sides of another carrier; and connecting the third attachmentpoints of the first and second carriers through a handle of the othercarrier.
 20. A footwear carrying system comprising: a first carrierhaving means for attaching a strap near a first end of the carrier,means for attaching the strap near a second end of the carrier, andmeans for making a flexible connection to a first side of the carrier;and a second carrier having means for attaching a strap near a first endof the carrier, means for attaching the strap near a second end of thecarrier, and means for making a flexible connection to a first side ofthe carrier; wherein the means for making a flexible connection enablesthe first and second carriers to move independently of each other;wherein each of the carriers has an opening at the first end forinserting a shoe into the carrier, and a cover arranged to cover theopening; and wherein the soles of two shoes inserted into the carriersface outward away from each other.